Pelvic floor therapy in Bethalto, IL. Pelvic floor causes more than just physical discomfort; it can impact your self-esteem and happiness. If pelvic floor dysfunction is keeping you from getting back to a favorite activity, beginning parenthood, or just getting through a day with the same confidence and comfort you used to, pelvic floor physical therapy could be what you need to regain your lifestyle. With evidence-backed treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in Bethalto, IL can help you experience:

• Improved bladder and bowel control
• Reduced pain and swelling
• Enhanced sexual function and satisfaction
• Increased confidence and quality of life

Axes Physical Therapy in Bethalto, IL specializes in designing customized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the pastimes they love most securely and effectively. If you are interested in finding out more about pelvic floor therapy or want to schedule an appointment with one of our physical therapusts, please contact us online today or get in touch to the Axes location nearest you. We’re here to help you restore command and assurance in your pelvic health.

How the Pelvic Floor Works

The pelvic floor is the soft tissues and joints that constitute a supportive hammock-like structure at the bottom of the pelvis. It acts like a “floor” or a base for the organs in the pelvic region, including the bladder, uterus, urethra, and rectum. The pelvic floor protects organs and your spine from outside pressure while helping manage several everyday functions.

The pelvic floor has several functions and roles:

• Helps manage your bladder and bowels by providing you authority over the squeezing and release of muscles
• Supports organs in the pelvis and avoids them from prolapsing
• Resists abdominal pressure from lifting, coughing, or other activities
• Supports well-functioning sexual function
• Provides sturdiness and posture to the core and back
• During pregnancy, stretches to accommodate a growing fetus and assists in childbirth
• Assists in blood and lymphatic circulation, helping to preserve vibrant tissue

Pelvic Floor Anatomy

The pelvic floor muscles stretch from the tailbone at the back to the pubic bone at the front, while also joining to the hip bones on each side. These muscles have passageways or passages for the urethra (through which urine is passed), the vagina, and the anus (through which stool is passed).

Picture the pelvic floor as a woven web of muscles and tissues that constructs a resilient base, holding the pelvic organs in place and avoiding them from sagging. It works like a reinforcing sling to maintain the position and function of pelvic organs.

The primary muscles of the pelvic floor are called the levator ani and the coccygeus. The levator ani has three parts: one that wraps around the rectum and assists you to hold in your poo (puborectalis), one that connects the front and back bones of your pelvis and supports the urethra and rectum (pubococcygeus), and one that connects the side and back bones of your pelvis and supports the organs inside your abdomen (iliococcygeus). The coccygeus connects the side and back bones of your pelvis and helps to keep your pelvis stable.

The pelvic floor muscles have essential roles. They help in regulating the release of urine and stool by contracting and relaxing at the right times and play a part in sexual function and pleasure by providing support to the organs involved in sexual activity. When the pelvic floor is weakened or becomes too tense, it results in pelvic floor dysfunction.

Causes, Signs, and Symptoms of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

Pelvic floor dysfunction is a condition where you have difficulty relaxing and coordinating your pelvic floor muscles for optimal function.

Signs and Symptoms

• Challenges urinating or having bowel movements
• Feeling like your bowel movements are not fully finished
• Leakage of urine or feces
• Frequently feeling the urge to use the bathroom
• Sensation of needing to push out urine or feces
• Pelvic aches
• Pain during sexual intercourse
• Erectile dysfunction and difficulty ejaculating
• Organ prolapse

Potential Causes

• Pregnancy and childbirth
• Pelvic surgery or trauma
• Obesity
• Aging
• Menopause
• Chronic constipation or straining
• Chronic coughing or sneezing
• Heavy lifting or high-impact exercise
• Psychological factors like stress or emotional trauma
• Nerve damage
• Surgery

Pelvic floor dysfunction can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, or physical ability. While it can affect anyone deeply, it’s important to remember that proven, evidence-backed treatment plans exist with professional physical therapy in Bethalto, IL. At Axes, we offer an entire team devoted to helping you recover the joy of participating in the activities you cherish most in life.

How Physical Therapy Can Help With Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

If you are suffering from pelvic floor dysfunction, you may feel disappointed, embarrassed, or hopeless. But a diagnosis is not the same thing as a permanent condition. With pragmatic treatment plans customized for you by your Bethalto, IL physical therapist, you can reclaim control over your life and experience a comfortable life.

Pelvic floor therapy involves exercises that can strengthen, improve flexibility of, or coordinate the pelvic muscles. The benefits of physical therapy for pelvic floor dysfunction in Bethalto, IL include:

• Improved pelvic floor muscle strength — Strengthening pelvic floor muscles can help improving bladder and bowel control, alleviate symptoms of urinary and fecal incontinence, and offer better support for the pelvic organs.
• Improved pelvic floor muscle coordination — Enhancing coordination promotes vitals functioning, such as relaxing and contracting muscles during urination, bowel movements, and sexual activity.
• Pain management — By targeting less strong or stiffer muscles and addressing sensitive areas, physical therapy can aid in reducing or getting rid of the pain you feel due to pelvic floor dysfunction.
• Pre- and postpartum care — Pelvic floor therapy is frequently advised for expecting mothers and those who have just given birth. It can assist in readying the pelvic floor for childbirth, reducing the risk of after childbirth pelvic floor dysfunction, and helping recuperation from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor connected to pregnancy and labor.
• Sexual health improvement — By concentrating on specific muscles and dealing with any hidden issues, therapy can improve sexual excitement, climax, and overall sexual satisfaction.
• Education and self-management — Your tailored pelvic floor therapy plan will not solely comprise guided exercises. By offering education and guiding you in methods you can practice on your own, your Axes physical therapist helps you actively participate in your own care and enables you to maintain a lifestyle that supports pelvic floor wellness.

At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of knowledgeable pelvic floor therapists in Bethalto, IL who can help you in improving your pelvic health and performance. Although certain instances of pelvic floor dysfunction might require operative correction, most individuals in Bethalto, IL will likely experience long-lasting and significant progress through less invasive physical therapy techniques.

What Bethalto, IL Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves

Your first pelvic floor therapy session in Bethalto, IL will include an evaluation of your current pelvic floor condition. The following sessions will center around implementing your customized treatment program.

Assessment and Evaluation

The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial assessment. During this phase, your Bethalto, IL physical therapist will dedicate time to understand you and your issues. They will ask about your medical history, lifestyle, and goals. Additionally, they will perform a physical examination and musculoskeletal assessment of your trunk and pelvis to assess your current condition. With your approval, a pre-pelvic floor therapy assessment in Bethalto, IL may additionally include an internal examination to more determine the muscle strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be utilized rather than an internal examination.

The assessment and evaluation carried out by your physical therapist will aid in recognizing the potential causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction and enable the creation of an optimal treatment plan to assist you in returning to the activities you love.

Pelvic Floor Therapy Treatments and Exercises

Upon reviewing the findings from your assessment and evaluation, your pelvic floor therapist in Bethalto, IL will design a personalized treatment plan customized to your needs. This plan will incorporate precise goals, techniques, and expected results to guide your therapy.

Exercises for Pelvic Floor Therapy

Improving muscle strength and coordination is essential for any pelvic floor therapy plan. Exercises that may be included in your physical therapy treatment plan in Bethalto, IL include:

• Kegel exercises to relax and engage the pelvic floor muscles
• Diaphragmatic breathing to coordinate your breath with your pelvic floor movement
• Flexibility exercises to loosen tight muscles
• Strengthening exercises to strengthen weak muscles
• Functional training to include new muscle actions into everyday tasks

The exercises your Bethalto, IL physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will be different based on your unique situation, but will all be aimed at reconditioning your body and muscles for optimal health. Depending on your current health and level of pelvic floor dysfunction, exercises may initially start with you lying flat on your back and gradually advance to seated and standing positions.

Manual Therapy

Manual therapy, such as instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization, is a hands-on technique that involves your physical therapist applying pressure or working on specific areas of your pelvis. It may include myofascial release (releasing tight knots in your muscles), nerve decompression (freeing up compressed nerves), joint manipulation (improving the mobility of your joints), deep tissue massage (relaxing tense muscles), or skin mobilization (lifting and rolling the skin to reduce adhesions).

Biofeedback Training

Biofeedback training utilizes a device to measure and display the activity of your pelvic floor muscles on a screen. It help you learn how to control and coordinate your pelvic floor muscles by giving you instant feedback on how they engage and release. This feedback helps you better understand understand how to activate and relax the muscles appropriately, optimizing your muscle alignment and command.

Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications

Physical therapy isn’t just a collection of exercises to mark off – it also offers you access to expert, evidence-based insights that improve your daily life. Your physical therapist may recommend you with:

• Changes to your nutrition
• Liquid regulation
• Correct posture and lifting techniques
• Strategies for addressing constipation
• Further advice for a more wholesome day-to-day life and lifestyle

Augmenting the exercises and techniques employed in pelvic floor therapy with these adaptations promotes improved pelvic floor function and overall well-being.

Other pelvic floor therapy techniques may involve therapeutic ultrasound, electrical stimulation, vaginal dilators, weighted cones, medications, and other alternatives.

Axes Physical Therapy’s Approach to Pelvic Floor Therapy in Bethalto, IL

At Axes Physical Therapy, we firmly believe in offering customized and compassionate treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a dedicated physical therapist in Bethalto, IL, our practice places our clients at the center and aims to obtain positive patient results. We realize that pelvic floor dysfunction can present as a challenging and difficult condition. That’s why we approach every patient with the utmost respect, compassion, and personalized attention.

We also subscribe to the belief in delivering evidence-based and holistic care to our patients. We make use of up-to-date research and cutting-edge technology to guide our treatment plans and methodologies. In addition, we present a range of other physical therapy services that can enhance your pelvic floor therapy, including:

• Orthopedic rehab
• Sports physical therapy
• Neurological physical therapy
• Geriatric physical therapy
• Pre- or post-surgery rehab

If you are exploring pelvic floor therapy in Bethalto, IL, trust in Axes. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Bethalto, IL area, all devoted to attaining your optimal pelvic health.

Call Axes Physical Therapy for Your Bethalto, IL Pelvic Floor Therapy Today

Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to hinder you from being the best version of yourself. At Axes, our devoted physical and occupational therapists in Bethalto, IL have a singular mission: returning you to the things you cherish the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing your playing in your favorite sport or making it difficult to get through your day, we will personalize our physical therapy treatment plan precisely to you and your aspirations. Request an appointment through our website or contact the most convenient location to you to start your path with Axes Physical Therapy in Bethalto, IL today.